Skyrocketing inflation challenges age-old charity traditions.

KARACHI -- Commodity traders claim sale of various food items used for preparing ration packs has remained highly subdued this Ramazan as compared to the last year due to skyrocketing prices and shrinking purchasing power of the people.

There is a tradition that people prepare ration packets and distribute them among the needy especially during Ramazan.

However, inflated electricity bills, gas tariff and rising petroleum prices are not allowing a large number of people to take the good step in helping out the poor this year.

A commodity trader at Jodia Bazaar, Shakeel Ahmed, said the sale of various items like pulses, rice, sugar, etc, was now 60 per cent lower than last year. Similarly, the sale of other items like ghee and cooking oil, tea, flour, etc, also remained below expectations.

Distribution of ration bags among the needy severely affected by increased cost of commodities this year

'When a person himself is facing a problem in arranging food for his own family due to the meteoric rise in commodity prices, then how could he arrange ration bags for the others,' he asked.

Mr Shakeel said people were worried about rising political and economic crises in the country due to unpredictable situation. 'As a result, they are cautiously spending. Those who had arranged food items for preparing 100 bags last year have procured commodities to make only 30-40 bags,' the trader said.

The price range of ration bags usually hovers between Rs4,000-8,000 but this year people prefer a Rs4,000-5,000 bag due to rising cost of living, he said.

Mr Shakeel said the wholesale rates were almost double this year from the last year which was making it difficult for the people to distribute handouts.

Commodity rates

Giving some wholesale rates, he said super quality basmati rice carried the price tag of Rs370-380 per kg followed by flour Rs140-160 per kg, sugar at Rs110 per kg, moong dal at Rs245-260 per kg, masoor Rs240-245 per kg, mash Rs400 per kg, black gram Rs180-185 per kg, white gram Rs295-370 per kg, medium range basmati cost Rs350-300 per kg while good quality rice cost Rs 350per kg or more.

The price of good quality ghee and cooking oil ranges between Rs550-680 per kg/litre from Rs400-490 last year. Sugar sells at Rs110-120 per kg as compared to Rs83-95 per kg last year.

A good quality tea pack (less than 250 grams) now sells at Rs413-558 as compared to Rs250-260.

One kilo wheat flour now sells at Rs140-160 as compared to Rs65-75 per kg last year.

...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT